Editorial Opinions

“State’s Black Caucus is out of touch on immigration”

The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk,VA) June 10, 2008

By GEORGE W. GRAYSON (Professor William & Mary)

NOW THAT THE General Assembly has acted on everything but transportation, I am chagrined by the opposition of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus to clamp down on illegal immigrants and the employers who hire, exploit, and enslave them.

Polls consistently show that African Americans strongly favor cracking down on individuals who enter this country illegally. Their stance springs not from racism, nativism or xenophobia, but because they often find themselves vying for the same jobs . When illegal immigrants gain access to universities, they frequently take classroom seats that would otherwise be filled by black or blue-collar young students .

Indifferent to the needs of constituents, Sen. Donald McEachin, D-Richmond, said: “I think they True to form, all seven black House members, including caucus chair Del. Dwight C. Jones, D-Richmond — now a candidate for mayor of the capital — voted against a bill to exclude illegal aliens from the state’s public institutions of higher learning.

Although approved 73-26 by the House this year, a coalition of black and Northern Virginia senators scuttled the measure 9-6 in the Senate Education Committee — with Sens. Mamie E. Locke, D-Hampton, and L. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, casting decisive votes.

The purpose of creating “majority” and “predominantly” minority legislative districts was to amplify the voice of communities neglected by the dominance of whites in the General Assembly. Why, then, are African- American lawmakers voting against the interests of their own people?

Virginia’s African -American lawmakers have bought into the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s “Rainbow Coalition” — a black-brown alliance that supposedly would uplift the downtrodden. But it actually has enabled Latinos to make notable strides at the expense of blacks.

And the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus — like its counterpart in the U.S. Congress — receives generous donations from the hospitality, manufacturing and agricultural sectors. Their lobbyists claim that enforcing — and fortifying — restrictions on immigrant scofflaws would harm the state’s economy.

African-American legislators have embraced the political correctness — so prevalent among Northern Virginia Democrats — that suggests it’s not really a crime to sneak across the Rio Grande or to overstay your visa .

“Mass illegal immigration is not a victimless crime,” according to Frank Morris, former executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and former dean of graduate studies at Morgan State University.

“There are real people who lose their jobs or the chance to earn a better living,” he said. “There are real children who are stuck in schools that cannot educate because they are overwhelmed by the children of illegal aliens. All too often, those victims are black.”

George W. Grayson teaches at the College of William and Mary. He was a civil rights activist in the 1960s, is a lifetime member of the NAACP, and served 27 years in the Virginia House of Delegates. Reach him at (757) 221-3031 or gwgray@wm.edu

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*NOTE FROM HELP SAVE HAMPTON ROADS:  Delegate Kenny Alexander, 89th District, Norfolk, voted to restrict admission of illegals to public colleges and universities

The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk,VA) March 26, 2008

It is always regrettable when an elected official falls victim to hubris. Apparently such is the case of State Sen. Ken Stolle. Last year, the Virginia State Crime Commission formed its Illegal Immigration Task Force. Sen. Stolle was a co-chair. Sixteen proposals were approved by the commission, including one that authorized the State Police to assist federal authorities in the detection, apprehension, detention and removal of illegal aliens confronted in the course of investigation of violent felonies, drug offense and gang related crime. HB623 passed in the House but, on March 3, Sen. Stolle voted against the bill despite phone calls, visits to the Richmond office and emails requesting his support. The good senator seems to speak out of both sides of his mouth.

“Task Force Recommendations Killed by Senate”

Last year the Virginia State Crime Commission formed its Illegal Immigration Task Force to address the various aspects of illegal immigration that had been proposed to the General Assembly in increasing amounts in recent years. Also an apparent lack of action by the federal government to successfully address the issue of illegal immigration resulted in calls for action at the state and local levels of government. The two Co-Chairmen of the Task Force were Senator Ken Stolle, Virginia Beach, and Delegate Dave Albo, Springfield.

The members of the Task Force were selected from across Virginia. The twenty-one voting members consisted of legislative leaders, law enforcement and corrections experts, prosecutors, members of civic and cultural organizations, and faith-based leaders. The Task Force was also aided by twocitizenrepresentatives, two independent legal advisers, and a congressional liaison.

Five meetings were conducted between May and October of 2007. Thirty-two proposals for recommendations were submitted by individual Task Force members for consideration at its final meeting. Sixteen of the proposals were approved as official Task Force recommendations. All sixteen of the Task Force recommendations were approved by the Crime Commission. Included among the sixteen is:

E. Agreements with ICE Pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1357(g) - “287(g)”

Task Force Recommendation # 11 - Authorization for the Department of State Police:
Request that the Governor execute a “287(g)” agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to authorize the Virginia State Police to assist federal authorities in the detection, apprehension, detention and removal of illegal aliens confronted in the course of investigation violent felonies, drug offense, and gang-related crime.

Last year, Senator Stolle expressed his desire for the Crime Commission to create this Task Force as a result of the deaths of the two little angels who were killed in a car crash in Virginia Beach by an illegal alien. The Task Force was established, completed its mission, made its recommendations for the 287(g), and had the approval by the Crime Commission. HB 623 passed in the House 88-11, came over to the Senate, and the Senator voted no on the bill! Despite the Crime Commission’s recommendations, despite the passage in the House, despite phone calls, personal visits to his office in Richmond, e-mails, etc. from the citizens throughout the Commonwealth requesting his support, the Senator boldly chose to ignore and totally disregard all of the above.

This conduct is unacceptable. It clearly demonstrates the Senator’s inability to make sound decisions, which ultimately continue to affect the safety and welfare of all Virginians.

“General Assembly Should Tackle Illegal Immigration”

The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk,VA) December 31, 2007

By GEORGE W. GRAYSON (Professor William & Mary)

Next month when the General Assembly convenes, legislators should reach across the aisle to tackle Virginia’s surging economic, social and political problems springing from illegal immigration.

In the run-up to the Nov. 6 election, Republicans blasted their Democratic opponents for our state’s woefully inadequate response to this issue. Of course, these aggressive candidates failed to mention that the GOP-controlled Senate provided a killing ground during the last year’s session for bills to crack down on unlawful residents.

Political opportunism and political correctness impel too many senators and delegates to apply a double standard: Citizens are expected to abide by all statutes; illegal residents can pick and choose the laws they obey.

Now a broad coalition of businesses, including some of the most powerful trade organizations in the state, has launched “Virginia Employers for Sensible Immigration Policy” to protect illegal immigrants and the firms that hire them. Will lawmakers truckle to these special interests or stand up for law-abiding residents?

The federal government, including Congress, has been slow to recognize the grass-roots outcry — expressed by Anglos, African Americans and Hispanics — against the porosity of our border with Mexico and the soaring number of foreigners who enter the U.S. with valid visas, only to melt into the population and neglect to return home.

In capitulating to special pleaders, Capitol Hill denizens seldom mention that the U.S. has one of the most liberal immigration laws in the world — we welcomed some one million newcomers this year! — for men and women who play by the rules.

Washington’s weak-kneed response to illegal immigration must not prevent Virginia from acting. There are initiatives, some already under way, that should be embraced on a bipartisan basis:

* Make it a crime and/or stiffen penalties for those who engage in (1) alien smuggling, (2) document fraud, and (3) gang-related crimes.

* Employ Dillon Rule-authority (state control over localities) to ban “sanctuary cities/towns/counties” that roll out the red carpet for illegal immigrants.

* Turn thumbs down on in-state tuition to unlawful aliens .

* Impound the cars of unlicensed drivers until they can show a valid driver’s permit and registration document.

* Furnish information to all police and sheriffs’ departments about the Law Enforcement Support Center, operated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (1-866-347-2423), that can supply specific information about properly handling aliens suspected, arrested or convicted of criminal activity.

* Require all public agencies and their contractors to use the free E-Verify Internet-based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security that, in concert with the Social Security Administration, checks the authenticity of Social Security numbers presented by prospective employees.

* Direct all public agencies and their contractors to use the SSNUS system, a free service to enable employers to match Social Security numbers with W-2 forms and SSA data bases.

* Offer incentives to private firms to participate in E-Verify and SSNUS, while ascertaining that all business-license holders take part in this program.

* Require school systems determine the number of illegal immigrants in classrooms so that if Washington begins to reimburse states for assuming this educational burden, Virginia’s officials will have hard data to present.

* Take advantage of the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program (SAVE) to verify the Social Security numbers of all recipients of state social services .

Immigration expert Jessica Vaughn reported that the misappropriation of Social Security numbers by illegal aliens prevented at least 1,000 children in Utah (whose numbers had been stolen) from receiving benefits that they deserved.

Even as U.S. senators and representatives suck their thumbs, we must take decisive action. Otherwise our state will become an ever-more attractive and enticing destination for individuals who sneak across the border or overstay their visas — a situation that fills emergency rooms, overcrowds schools, spurs the formation of more gangs, inflicts greater pressure on our natural resources, exacerbates traffic congestion, inexorably drives up property taxes and generally degrades the quality of life.

George W. Grayson, who teaches at the College of William and Mary, served 27 years as a Democratic member of the House of Delegates. E-mail him at gwgray@wm.edu

Copyright 2007 Landmark Communications, Inc.

All Rights Reserved